Tidal motor.



Patented Sept. 2, I902.

E. B. CADE.

TIDAL MOTCIR.

lApplication filed Sept.'3, 1901.) (No Model.)

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6 5 INVENTOR. I

A TTORNE Y.

THE Nomus PTsas co. FHOTO-LITNDV. WASHINGTON, n. c.

litres MATES Prion.

Artur TIDAL MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,461, dated September 2,1902. Application filed September 3,1901. gerial No. 74,225. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, ENOS B. OADE, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resi-- dent of Skaguay, in the Territory of Alaska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tidal Motors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in operable devices which derive power from the motion of tidal water, and has special reference to a motor of thisclass especially designed to operate means for rendering signals.

Among numerous objects attained by this invention and readily understood from the following specification and accompanying drawings, included as a part hereof, are simplified and effieient means for deriving power from the rise and fall of tidal waters, cooperating devices which render the action of said means positive and constant, simplified coacting mechanism for signaling, and preferred structural features incidentally developed in accomplishing the objects.

The above-mentioned and other equally-desirable objects are attained by the construction, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as disclosed by the drawings, set forth in the specification, and succinctly pointed out in the claims. 1

With reference to the drawings filed herewith and bearing like reference characters for corresponding parts throughout, Figure l is a side elevation of the motor with parts indicated in vertical sections and portions of the superstructure and frame broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of same, taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1, viewed as the arrows fly, and also indicates the casing of the well for the buoyant weight in vertical section; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of said casin g with the weight therein and portions of the driving mechan ism in relative position.

The several parts of this device are conveniently supported on a suitable framework, which may beconstructed in any desirable manner, but as I now consider it comprises sills, as 1, uprights 2 thereon, beams 4, secured to the upright intermediate the ends thereof, and caps 3 at the top ends, and said frame is supported on a suitable superstructure just above the high-tide mark and is preferably arranged to support a downwardlyextending casing 5.

This invention embodies a buoyant body, as 6, preferably rendered hollow and of suitable material to render the body of a desired weight and buoyancy, so as to allow the motor agent to be set for action as the tide rises or falls. As now considered the motive agents comprise two suitable independently-operative drive-weights, as 7 and 8, rendered proportionate to the power required and conveniently connected to the body or buoyant weight 6 by suitably-mounted belts, as 7 and 8, whereby said drive-weights are alternately raised or set by the buoyant weight, respectively, as it responds to rise and fall of the tide.

In the present embodiment a power-shaft, as 11, is conveniently mounted in suitable bearings placed on sills 1, immediately over casing 5, and carries loosely-mounted wheels 12 and 14: thereon, adapted to receive belts 7 and 8", respectively. Closely adjacent each of these wheels a suitable ratchet 15 is fixed to said shaft 11 in operable relations with a respective spring-pressed pawl, as 16, one of which is pivotally mounted on each of said wheels 12 and 14, and the teeth on said ratchets are suitably disposed for engagement therewith of respective pawls as. respective drive-weights fall, and the pawls are suitably formed to ride said teeth as the weights are raised or set by action of buoyant weight 6. As new constructed wheels 12 and 1 1 are preferably rendered in the form of sprockets, and respective belts comprise suitable corresponding link chaius,which are each suitably fastened by one end to the buoyant weight 6 and by the opposite end to respective driveweights, which are'e'ach preferably placed at the same side of shaft 11, so that it will be impelled in the same direction by the fall of either driver.

In the present instance buoyant weight 6 is rendered globular in form, and easing 5 is made cylindrical and somewhat greater in diameter than said weight, so as to receive same loosely, and is of convenient length to embrace said body throughout its travels, and thereby made to protect it from action of the waves and guide it as it rises and falls responsive to action of the tide. In the top of body 6 a suitable recess is provided to conveniently receive the slack in chain belt 8" as said body rises responsive to flooding of the tide, and a suitable bearing-wheel 17 for chain belt 7 is conveniently mounted beneath the lowest point attained by body 6 as it falls,

so as it rises it draws upon said belt properly to lift driver 7, and a suitable carrier- Wheel 18 is mounted adjacent said bearingwheel to hold said chain thereto as the buoyant weight falls, and thereby insure its posi- 'tion for proper operation over the bearingand operates to fill said cylinder from opposite ends alternately through suitable checkvalves 20 and exhaust same through a suitable operable valve 21, controlled by a governor, as 22, operably related to said shaft and arranged to reduce the size of the discharge-opening in said valve as the drive shaft rotates beyond a relatively fixed speed, and thereby confine the air in said cylinder to more forcibly oppose action of the piston, and consequently reduce the speed at which said drivers act. In the present instance this motor is arranged to operate a signal in the form of abell 23, which is suspended in a suitable frame 24 and sounded by a loose ball 25, supported in a suitable race 26,mounted on the upper end of a pivotally-supported verticallydisposed rock-arm 27, which is operably related to said motor by means of a connectingrod 28 and operable crank 29,having a suitable double crank-pin, and thereby also adapted to drive the piston in cylinder 19 and suitably formed to drive a belt 30 to actuate governor 22. This crank 29 is conveniently mounted on a suitable shaft and is driven by drive-shaft 11 through the medium of a suitable train of multiplying-gears arranged intermediate said shafts on suitable mountings and associated in relative order to multiply the speed of said crank over shaft 11. As now considered these gears comprise spur-pinions and wheels arrangedin respective pairs 31, 32, 33, and 34, and to reduce friction the mountings of shafts for these gears may be supported by suitable antifriction ball or roller bearings of any suitable or ordinary construction. The race 26 is conveniently curved upwardly at opposite ends to deliver ball 25 against the body of the bell as the race is tipped, and a suitable cage, as 34, is conveniently mounted on said race to keep the ball thereon. Granted construction of such a motor and relative position of the operable parts, as disclosed in the drawings, and assuming that the tide be on the ebb, buoyant weight 6 will be setting driver 8 and driver 7 will be falling, and consequently turning drive-shaft 11 and connected mechanism, and will continue to fall until said body 6 is raised sufficiently by return of the tidal waters to take up all slack in chain 7", when said driver 7 will be raised by upward movement of said'body. Driver 8 will commence to fall as soon as body 6 begins to rise and will continue to do so until said body again falls a sufficient distance to take up all slack in chain 8 accumulated by reason of the difference in the speed of said body and driver as determined by proper adjustment of the escapement heretofore described. It will be thus understood that the device has uninterrupted action and can be readily accommodated to various degrees of tide action by simply regulating the length of the drive-chains. 7

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is V l. A motor of the nature indicated, comprisinga buoyant weight, a casing for guiding said buoyant weight, a pair of drive-weights, a shaft, a pair of reciprocal wheels intermittently operably related to said shaft, belts on said wheels arranged to lift said drive-weights alternately by rise and fall of the buoyant weight, and means for guiding one of the belts carried by the lower end of the guiding means for the buoyant weight.

2. A motor of the nature indicated, comprising a buoyant Weight, a casing for guiding said buoyant weight, a pair of drive-weights, a shaft, a pair of wheels loosely mounted on said shaft, ratchet mechanism connecting the wheels and shaft, belts on said wheels arranged to lift said drive-weights alternately by rise and fall of said buoyant weight, a speed-regulating device cooperatively connected with said shaft, and means for guiding one of the belts carried by the lower end of said casing.

3. A motor of the nature indicated, comprising a buoyant weight, a pair of driveweights, a shaft, a pair of wheels loosely mounted on said shaft, ratchet mechanism connecting the wheels and shaft, belts on said wheels arranged to lift said drive-weights alternately by rise and fall of said buoyant weight and an escapement cooperatively connected to said shaft comprising an air-cylinder and a governor adapted to regulate the egress of air from the cylinder.

4:- A motor of' the nature indicated, comprisinga buoyant weight, a casing for guiding said buoyant weight, a pair of drive-weights, a shaft, a pair of reciprocally-rotative chainwheels mounted loosely on said shaft each having a pawl pivotally mounted thereon, ratchets fixed on the shaft in cooperative relations with respective pawls, link belts on said wheels arranged to lift said drive-weights alternately by rise and fall of the buoyant weight and means for guiding one of the link belts carried by the lower edge of said casing.

5. A motor of the nature indicated, comprising a vertically-reciprocal buoyant Weight, a guide-casing therefor, a pair of drive-weights, a shaft journaled above said casing, a pair of reciprocally-rotative chain-.

buoyant weight, and means to regulate the falling speed of the drive-weights.

6. A device of the nature indicated, comprising, a buoyant Weight, a vertically-disposed guide-casing therefor, a pair of driveweights, a drive-shaft journaled above the casing, a pair of reciprocally-rotative chainwheels mounted loosely on said shaft each having a pawl pivotally mounted thereon, ratchets fixed on said shaft in cooperative relations with respective pawls, link belts on said wheels arranged to lift said drive-weight alternately by rise and fall of its buoyant weight, a pair of guide-wheels carried by the lower end of the guide-casing for guiding one of the link belts, an air-cylinder carrying a piston, a governor related to the ports of egress of said cylinder, and speed-multiplying gearing operably connected to said driveshaft and piston.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 25th day of July, 1901.

ENOS B. (JADE.

Witnesses:

W. PARRY SMITH, EMILY H. ADAMS. 

